Patentable/Patents/US-6973128
US-6973128

Multi-path transmission of fine-granular scalability video streams

PublishedDecember 6, 2005
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

A method transports a video over a network that includes multiple paths. First, a video is encoded into a base layer, one or more low bit-rate enhancement layers, and one or more high bit-rate enhancement layers using fine-granularity scalability. The base layer and the low bit-rate layers are duplicated into a multiple base layers and multiple low bit-rate enhancement layers, respectively. The high bit-rate layers are partitioned into multiple partial low-bit rate layers, and then each layer is transmitted over a different path of the network to a receiver.

Patent Claims
10 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.

1

1. A method for transporting a video over a network including multiple paths, comprising: encoding a video into a base layer, one or more low bit-rate enhancement layers, and one or more high bit-rate enhancement layers using fine-granularity scalability; duplicating the base layer and the low bit-rate layers into a plurality of base layers and a plurality of low bit-rate enhancement layers, respectively; partitioning the high bit-rate layers into a plurality of partial low-bit rate layers; and transmitting each of the plurality of base layers, the plurality of low bit-rate enhancement layers, and plurality of partial low-bit rate layers over a different path of the network.

2

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a difference between the low bit-rate and the high bit-rate is at least a factor of two.

3

3. The method of claim 1 wherein each high bit-rate enhancement layer is encoded using a different description.

4

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the partitioning further comprises: distributing “1” bits of the high bit-rate enhancement layer evenly among the plurality of partial low bit-rate enhancement layers.

5

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the partitioning further comprises: distributing “1” bits of the high bit-rate enhancement layer among the plurality of partial low bit-rate enhancement layers according to positions of the “1” bits in blocks of the high bit-rate enhancement layer.

6

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the partitioning further comprises: distributing “1” bits of the high bit-rate enhancement layer among the plurality of partial low bit-rate enhancement layers according to a perceived visual quality of the video.

7

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the partitioning further comprises: evaluating a cost function to determine a partitioning of the “1” bits among the plurality of partial low-bit-rate enhancement layers.

8

8. The method of claim 7 wherein there are two partial low-bit-rate enhancement layers, and further comprising: assigning a particular “1” bit to a first partial low-bit-rate enhancement layer, a second partial low-bit-rate enhancement layer, to both the first and second partial low-bit-rate enhancement layers, or neither partial low-bit-rate enhancement layers, depending on a minimum value of the cost function.

10

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the status includes an average packet loss ratio and a loss burst rate.

11

11. A system for transporting a video over a network including multiple paths, comprising: an encoder configured to encode a video into a base layer, one or more low bit-rate enhancement layers, and one or more high bit-rate enhancement layers using fine-granularity scalability; means for duplication the base layer and the low bit-rate layers into a plurality of base layers and a plurality of low bit-rate enhancement layers, respectively; means for partitioning the high bit-rate layer into a plurality of partial low-bit rate layers; and a transmitter configured to transmit each of the plurality of base layers, the plurality of low bit-rate enhancement layers, and plurality of partial low-bit rate layers over a different path of the network.

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

February 21, 2003

Publication Date

December 6, 2005

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Cite as: Patentable. “Multi-path transmission of fine-granular scalability video streams” (US-6973128). https://patentable.app/patents/US-6973128

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